1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally involves the field of technology pertaining to devices for imparting different movements to a plurality of ornaments while accompanying such movements with music. More specifically, the invention relates to an improved ornamental carousel assembly wherein rotational and vertical movements are imparted to a plurality of ornaments and a canopy by a miniature wind-up music box mechanism.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known in the art to rotatably support an ornament on a base containing a wind-up music box mechanism. Devices of this type are often provided with plural ornaments and may even include a canopy formed from a fragile material, such as ceramic, which may be easily broken and impart considerable weight to the device. When such a device has rotating elements formed from rather heavy materials, a large amount of force must be exerted by the wind-up music box mechanism in order to perform the rotational and vertical movements desired.
Many prior art devices have overcome the inability of a miniature wind-up music box mechanism to develop the required force to rotate and reciprocate the elements of an ornamental display assembly by utilizing an electric drive motor which is driven by a power supply also housed in the base. An example of such an arrangement is represented by U.S. Pat. No. 4,753,436. Electrically driven motors, although they can more easily develop higher levels of torque output, are generally more bulky and less efficient than wind-up music box mechanisms.